Field
The disclosed technology relates to electronic systems and, in particular, to voltage regulation in electronic systems.
Description of the Related Technology
Voltage regulators are electronic systems that can be used to maintain constant voltage levels. Typically, electronic voltage regulators compare an output voltage to a fixed, internal reference voltage. Differences between the output voltage and the fixed, internal reference voltage can create a negative feedback loop to reduce the voltage error.
Certain applications can require multiple accurate regulated voltages. For example, certain electronic systems require multiple accurate voltages to bias power amplifiers. In a particular example, RF power amplifiers can be used to boost the power of an RF signal having a relatively low power based on a bias voltage. Thereafter, the boosted RF signal can be used for a variety of purposes, including driving the antenna of a transmitter.
Such voltage regulators can be included in a variety of electronic devices, such as devices with wireless communication functionalities, to provide accurate regulated voltages. For example, in mobile phones having a time division multiple access (TDMA) architecture, such as those found in Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), and wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) systems, a voltage regulator can be used to bias power amplifiers that can be used to shift power envelopes up and down within prescribed limits of power versus time. Advantageously, the amplification of a RF signal can be managed and controlled, as a particular mobile phone can be assigned a transmission time slot for a particular frequency channel. Voltage regulators can be employed to aid in regulating the power level of the RF signal over time, so as to prevent signal interference from transmission during an assigned receive time slot and/or to reduce power consumption.
There is a need for improved voltage regulators. Furthermore, there is a need for reducing die area, current consumption, and overall design complexity in electronic systems. Moreover, there is a need for providing additional flexibility for future architectural changes and/or functionality.